We saw another shameful performance at The Palace on Sunday. This time, it didn't come from the Pistons, who actually played with spirit and nearly stole a game from the resurgent Los Angeles Lakers.

We witnessed the annual migration of Kobe Bryant lovers who wore his jersey and cheered his every move. Thanks to Pistons guard Will Bynum it was not a total sham. He ignited the Pistons and even turned Lakers fans into Pistons blue.

But Bynum left The Palace with his spirits down following a 98-97 loss because he missed a potential winning shot with 3.8 seconds left that he flipped high over center Pau Gasol. It rimmed in and rimmed out.

He should not feel bad because Bynum even outshined Bryant, and if wasn't for Bynum this game would have been a ho-hum blowout instead of a delicious appetizer before the Super Bowl.

Bynum rallied his team from an 18-point deficit with 18 points and 10 assists. This wasn't just Bynum putting his head down and attacking the basket. He did some of that, but he broke down the defense and found teammates when they were open. Bynum was the best player on the floor, even with three potential Hall-of-Fame players on the other side.

"I don't really care nothing about that. We lose, we lose," Bynum said. "There's no sympathy for losing. Whether you lose by one or 100, it's all the same. It's a loss. I'm a winner and I want to win. Nothing really matters when you lose."

Kobe's contingent

Let's talk about the real losers. They are Pistons fans who turned The Palace into Staples Center East, the Lakers' home away from home. Many came dressed in Lakers gold and purple and they cheered as loudly for Bryant as anything the Pistons did for much of the game. There were banners and signs for Bryant but few for the Pistons.

I don't know what ignited the crowd more. Was it the Earl Clark dunk off a Bryant inbounds pass to end the first half? Or was it when Bryant dunked over Brandon Knight and stared at the crowd?

There was almost a repeat of the Malice at The Palace.

This time Metta World Peace (aka Ron Artest) put Knight in a head lock late in the second quarter, drawing a flagrant foul. Afterward, World Peace was stationed within inches of the spot where a fan clocked him with a beer after he got into it with Ben Wallace in 2004.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130204/OPINION03/302040335#ixzz2JwCssj6A